Need help deciding on first rifle

[Chris3]

Having a lot of trouble deciding on my first rifle. I want it to be in the role of an SPR or DMR. Budget is $2,500 for the rifle. Before I started writing this I couldn't figure out two things, cartridge and rifle, but I think I'm going to go with the .308 win. I've never shot it before, but the only downside I ever hear about is it has enough kick to make you lose sight picture in your scope. Idk, hopefully I can live with that. I was also considering the 5.56 NATO because of the Mk12, but I hear 5.56 NATO doesn't do well out to say 650 yards. The 6mm ARC, .243 win, and 7mm-08 I was also considering but it's difficult to find ammo and semi-auto's in those. Another reason I figure to go .308 win is because so many militaries use 7.62x51 NATO for their DMR so there must be something right/good about it.

I'm leaning towards a CMMG or Stag Arms AR-10 with a 20" barrel. Let me know of other platforms you'd recommend or other AR-10 manufacturer's you'd recommend or if you think there is another cartridge I should consider.

Thank you!

 

[sparky702]

I would buy a .556 rifle and learn the fundamentals , A 77 grain matchking has no issue getting to 650 yds , plus ammo is cheaper and you can shoot more ( practice makes perfect ) . If you admire the mk12 then contact Precision Reflex Industries . they can hook you up with an upper and an excellent barrel . large frame AR's are a horse of a different color .

 

[theLBC]

i like .308 because it is so common and m80 is cheaper and can be effective enough with the right rifle.
also, it will help you to learn recoil management, which would translate to other platforms if that matters at all.
lastly, if the blue helmets ever show up on american soil, they will have ammo for our rifles we can use.

 

[Bigtrucknut]

Having a lot of trouble deciding on my first rifle. I want it to be in the role of an SPR or DMR. Budget is $2,500 for the rifle. Before I started writing this I couldn't figure out two things, cartridge and rifle, but I think I'm going to go with the .308 win. I've never shot it before, but the only downside I ever hear about is it has enough kick to make you lose sight picture in your scope. Idk, hopefully I can live with that. I was also considering the 5.56 NATO because of the Mk12, but I hear 5.56 NATO doesn't do well out to say 650 yards. The 6mm ARC, .243 win, and 7mm-08 I was also considering but it's difficult to find ammo and semi-auto's in those. Another reason I figure to go .308 win is because so many militaries use 7.62x51 NATO for their DMR so there must be something right/good about it.

I'm leaning towards a CMMG or Stag Arms AR-10 with a 20" barrel. Let me know of other platforms you'd recommend or other AR-10 manufacturer's you'd recommend or if you think there is another cartridge I should consider.

Thank you!

I built an all-around 18" .308 first but I find my two DMR rifles more fun. The first DMR I built was in .243 Win then I built a second in .308. Same 24" barrels (X-caliber), SLR adjustable gas blocks, muzzle compensators, 9.5 oz heavy buffers, and lighter buffer springs in both. .243 has a rifle length gas system and the .308 has R+2". Recoil/gas are tuned to minimize recoil and give consistent feeding and cartridge ejection.

I have shot both rifles in PRS matches with max range of 1050 yards and also shot the .243 in a 1000 yard long range match. The .243 is a dream to shoot - stays on target with minimal recoil shooting a 95 grain handload at 2960 fps. .308 recoil makes it a little tougher to stay on target between shots however, it is manageable and you regain sight picture quickly. .308 shoots relatively stiff handloads using 168 and 169 Sierra Matchkings at just under 2700 fps and I could reduce the recoil if I wanted to.

I'd say that you can't go wrong with either cartridge in a DMR though if you aren't going to handload I'd recommend .308 due to the greater selection of production match ammo. If you plan to handload then that doesn't matter and I'll say that my .243 DMR is my favorite rifle in the safe.

 

[Jsp556]

Everyone needs a precision 5.56/223wylde/variant.

Buy a factory large frame from a company with a track record of building and supporting reliable, precise gas guns. $2500 will get you a used Seekins, new Armalite, used MWS(if you’re patient), used Larue UU kit rifle, etc.

 

[bfoosh006]

It is pretty darned easy to "calm" down the kick on Large Frame AR... an Adj. GB , decent muzzle brake, a good recoil pad, and a good recoil spring / buffer setup.

I vote .308.

 

[Desert_Racer]

Buy a PRI Mk12 in whatever mod you like, then take the $600 you saved and buy as much LC brass, 8208 XBR and 77 SMKs as you can.

308 is cool, but I shoot my Mk12 and other 5.56 chambered DMR type rifles way more than any of my 308 guns. That’s just me though.

 

[houndog]

As you can see from some of the other answers you've been getting, there are a ton of different ways you can go on this, all of which have their own respective plusses and minuses.

Getting an AR15 rather than an AR10 is definitely worth considering. The gun will be cheaper. Ammo will be a lot cheaper. Less recoil will mean that's it's easier to shoot accurately and easier to see your misses (which is definitely a consideration if you don't have a spotter). The downside is that as you shoot longer distances even 77 gr bullets will not have the same ballistics as some of the larger calibers. So if you plan on doing a lot of shooting at 600-1000 yards, particularly in windy conditions, .308, 6.5 CM or one of the other cartridges you mention will probably be a better choice. If you want to stick to an AR15 and get better ballistics than .223/5.56 you might consider 6.5 Grendel.

If you go the AR10 route, I have AR10's in both .308 and 6.5CM and find I shoot the 6.5CM more. The 6.5CM will not drop as much as .308, particularly as you get out beyond 600 yards. It will also not be as affected by the wind. And it has less recoil, so it will be easier to see your hits/misses. However, ammo will be more expensive (and there's no real mil surplus alternative), and you will not get the same barrel life you do with .308.

Don't have any experience with the other calibers you mention, but as you recognize finding both ammo and uppers in those calibers will be more challenging.

As for mfgs. if you go the AR15 route you could get an upper from White Oak Armament or Compass Lake Engineering and then put it on a lower of your choice. Either choice will get you a guaranteed tack driver and should be well under your budget.

I've also had good luck with LaRue uppers, both in 5.56 and 6.5CM and if you put a lower together yourself both of these options will be within your price range, and honestly would be a better choice than either Stag or CMMG.

I'm sure others will have some suggestions about alternatives that would be better than Stag or CMMG, but LaRue and Compass Lake are two companies I have personal experience with and feel confident recommending.

 

[pineoak]

+1

If you don't own an AR15 (5.56)... get one first BEFORE you deal with .308/6.5

Generally the 5.56 flavor are more reliable in more guns/brands. the AR10s can be finicky AND more expensive with fewer accessory options

That said, skip the AR15/DMR/SPR route and get a bolt gun.

Tikka CTR in .223; don't change anything and just shoot the barrel until it wears out

 

[Dildobaggins]

Shit if youve got $2500 to blow, I'd seriously consider building it yourself. I'd have trouble getting past $2500 on a purpose built AR-15. With high quality parts. Ar10 would probably be a little easier. Fella above me makes a good point. But I'll add this. You could get a complete upper from WOA ( very accurate barrels) to fulfill your 223 dmr needs for under 700. Buy a quality lower and slap them together And you'd still have enough to get a Tikka in 308. Heck you'd have enough left over to also buy a ar10, and you can always switch the barrel out later on down the road if it's not to your liking

 

[aslrookie]

AR15- here’s why:

1) rifle is lighter
2) bulk ammo
3) $2500 pretty much gets you any nice factory rifle minus the more rare/gucci rifles you don’t “need.”
4) 30rd mags vs 20
5) training costs are much lower. I’ve spent a shit ton of money on 6.5cm match ammo this last month. I could’ve bought 3x as much XM193 5.56 ammo as I did for 6.5cm
6) spare parts are plentiful

 

[MK20]

Get a complete AR 15 lower

Put a geissele SSA in it.

Buy a WOA SPR upper for 700 ish bucks and put it on.

Add a good scope mount and scope, add ammo, and go shoot to 1000.

If you live in a place with a ton of wind, get a 308, but 556 is the best answer generally, especially in this environment. Good ammo for a large frame gun is much more expensive.

I have both and have transitioned to shooting 556 almost exclusively for just cost reasons.

 

[MK20]

556 will be much easier to learn to shoot a gas gun on too.

 

[drewthebrave]

For a first rifle, I would absolutely recommend starting with 5.56. While I really like my large frame AR, I shoot my Mk12 build the most often because it's just so easy to ring steel all day long with whatever ammo I have available (55gr, 62gr, 70gr, 77gr). The big bore gun takes a lot more effort to shoot consistently, and if I didn't have a ton of time behind the AR15, I wouldn't be half as competent as I am now. Deficiencies in technique will be magnified with a large frame, so I would urge you to start small.

It'll be hard to beat the value of this:

Krieger 1-7.7 Twist Tactical Upper

Barrel Contour: -.750 Light(.850 UHG, .750 Gas Block, .740 Muzzle) Please choose from the following options to customize your build.

compasslake.com

But if you want a Mk12, don't mess around and just get the real deal:

Mark 12 Mod 0 Gen III Rifle W/B5 Stock and 1-7 Twist Barrel

Mark 12 Mod 0 Gen III Rifle with B5 6 position and Douglas barrel with 1-7 twist rate. Available in Black or Flat Dark Earth finish. NOTE: This Rifle requires shipment to an authorized FFL. If you have a preferred FFL, enter this as your shipping address. If not, we will contact you for details...

www.precisionreflex.com

PRi AR15 Upper Assemblies

Precision Reflex Upper Assemblies for the AR15 platform.

www.precisionreflex.com

 

[thedude824]

I understand the OP's position, but I have to agree wholeheartedly with the consensus here. It will be quite a while before you can outshoot something like an LMT MARS in 556. When/if you do you can swap to 6.8 SPC. I'd get a piston system. DI fouls so much faster and if you decide to venture into the suppressor world later on, you've already got an exceptional host. LMT rifles also hold their value if not commanding a premium. Had I followed this advice I probably wouldn't have gone through dozens of builds. Shooting at 600 yards is a very lofty internet goal for a beginner. I have a buddy that has spent at least 15-20k buying "sub-MOA" capable rifles, Timney triggers and Vortex Razor scopes. He quite literally shot an 18" group at 100 yards with his "sub-MOA Daniel Defense rifle" in a sled and was actually impressed with it. He said it was "rapid fire"?! Buy a great rifle thats capable of upgrading, shoot ALOT with match grade ammo, invest in a good bipod, and learn how to estimate distance and bullet drop. Once you're shooting 1 MOA consistently you can find a group that does dynamic drills, moving and shooting around obstacles and reloading quickly. If you have normal demands on your time (job, family, and a life), this should take a couple years at least.
I'm also a big fan of PWS piston guns, but you may regret not springing for the modular system.